Thomas Cooke
Private, 8th Battalion (Victoria) Australian Imperial Force
- Register No.
- 248 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 8th Battalion (Victoria) Australian Imperial Force (register: 8th Battalion, AIF) all AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 24–25 July 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 9th September 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- 5th July 1881 at Kaikoura, Marlborough, New Zealand
- Died
- 28th July 1916 at Pozieres, France. (killed in action)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Digest of citation
On 24th/25th July, 1916 at Pozieres, France, after a Lewis gun had been disabled, Private Cooke was ordered to take his gun to a dangerous part of the line. He did fine work, but came under very heavy fire, and finally he was the only man left. He still stuck to his post and continued to fire, but when assistance finally arrived he was found dead beside his gun
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
COOKE, Thomas. (reg No 248).
Private 8th Battalion (Victoria) Australian Imperial Force.
London Gazetted on 9th September 1916.
Born on 5th July 1881 at Kaikoura, Marlborough, New Zealand.
Died on 28th July 1916 at Pozieres, France. (killed in action).
Memorials at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 24th/25th July, 1916 at Pozieres, France, after a Lewis gun had been disabled, Private Cooke was ordered to take his gun to a dangerous part of the line. He did fine work, but came under very heavy fire, and finally he was the only man left. He still stuck to his post and continued to fire, but when assistance finally arrived he was found dead beside his gun.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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